105 mid and short cage

[Nagaredama]

Hi All-

My current gearing is 42/32/22 -- 11-34. The bike is used for AM/FR/DJ and I rarely use the 42. When in 32 and 11 my long cage XT hits the seat stay which drives me nuts. I want to go to BG/36/24 with 11-34.

Can I run this setup with a short or mid-cage 105 road derailleur?
Would this combo improve the shift performance?
Would sticking with the long-cage XT be better with the 36/24? I could obviously lose some links in the chain and maybe avoid the derailleur hitting the seat stay.

Thanks!
Scott

[BigStonz]

I know you could use the XT "mid Cage". That's what I have with similar gearing. I don't know much about the 105

[Kornphlake]

I think there's something wrong with your deraileur hanger if your cage is hitting the seat stay. A mid cage might help some, I'd try taking out some links first, if your chain is set up for 3 rings then you won't have very good chain tension when in the 11-32 combo since the chain was sized to work best on the 42 tooth ring with the 11 tooth cog.

[Jeff 151]

I don't see how a rr der could hit the seatstay. Do you maybe mean chainstay? Lose the 42 and replace with a bashguard. Drop the rr cluster to like a 12-25/27, and you can use a shorter cage rr der.

[Nagaredama]

I don't see how a rr der could hit the seatstay. Do you maybe mean chainstay? Lose the 42 and replace with a bashguard. Drop the rr cluster to like a 12-25/27, and you can use a shorter cage rr der.


You are 100% correct it is hitting the chainstay when in 32 and 11. If it were hitting the seatstay I there would be something really wrong.

What is the BCD size on the smallest ring on Hussfellt cranks? 4-bolt 64? 94? The middle is 104?

Who makes 24 and 36 gearing? I know Salsa does but I have no clue what they cost.

Thanks
Scott

[Bacardi]

Chainrings @ Go-ride (http://go-ride.com/prod_chainrings.html)

You can get 26, 36 in 4/104 pattern in Shimano XT.

The 105 derailler goes up to 27 tooth MAX in the rear cassette. I don't think the front chainring matters. Besides it was meant for a road bike, so it can probably handle the big rings up front.

XT Short cage would be your best bet for 2 ring setup and 11-34 in the back ( I know XT is like $54 vs. $38 for 105, but you cant always save $$.

I run a 105 on my DH bike and used it well for 6 months. Not too shabby.

[JRogers]

Chainrings @ Go-ride (http://go-ride.com/prod_chainrings.html)

You can get 26, 36 in 4/104 pattern in Shimano XT.

The 105 derailler goes up to 27 tooth MAX in the rear cassette. I don't think the front chainring matters. Besides it was meant for a road bike, so it can probably handle the big rings up front.

XT Short cage would be your best bet for 2 ring setup and 11-34 in the back ( I know XT is like $54 vs. $38 for 105, but you cant always save $$.

I run a 105 on my DH bike and used it well for 6 months. Not too shabby.

A 105 short cage can definitely take more than a 27T cog. I have used 105 and Dura Ace on 2 bikes with 32T+ cogs. I am not totally sure that a 105 short can take the spread you want, but I think it can. I am pretty sure that I ran a 105 with a BG/36/24 and 12-32 (maybe 11-32 or 34; I can't remember). I am not sure how much a shorter cage mech would cut down on noise, though, if that's what you're worried about.

[SDminitrucker]

I"M running the 105 short cage with 11-34 in the rear and 22/38 in the front and i put a little pad where it his the chainstay, and so far no problems, just a little tight getting into the 38-34, and it doesnt take up the slack in the 22-11. But i never run those gears.

What i used was a piece of those felt sicker things you put on the bottom of dining room chairs so they dont mark the ground. (where the derailer hits the chainstay)

http://img.s10forum.com/album527/ady.sized.jpg

Sorry forgot to rotate this one. But this is in 38-11 and it tucks up nicely and only hits the chainstay in rock gardens and long sets of stairs, but becasue that felt stopper is there it really isnt noticeable. NOt to mention the e.13 DRS helps a hELL of a lot

http://img.s10forum.com/album527/adz.sized.jpg


Here is one of the whole drivetrain again in 38-11 and you can see the derailer is tucking up pretty far, but again, doesnt pose a problem.

http://img.s10forum.com/album527/aea.sized.jpg


If you have any general questions let me know


OH and yes the guide plate on the e.13 DRS is custom made. I broke the plastic one so i machined one out of magnesium. NO worries about overtightening and its light, but also takes a ****ing beating.

[Bacardi]

It may be able to shift to higher gears (i.e. 32, 34), but it isn't recommended. I'm just taking the info from here:
jensonusa.com 105 derailler (http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product.aspx?i=RD707B00).

[oddblob]

Thanks to this thread and a couple others on the subject I tried out a Shimano 105 short cage rear derailleur and I couldn't be happier. Running 12-34 rear, 2 rings up front. Shifts great, I can use all gear combinations and cost me $35. Love it.